Red Bull Cat

Now this is an interesting ad. It shows a cartoon cat relaxing in a chair, making yummy noises, and flossing his teeth - obviously after eating a satisfying meal. The music playing in the background is pleasant, helping to enhance the feeling of contentment. A Red Bull can is set on the table. After he fixes his whiskers and looks in the mirror, the view pans up to an empty bird cage with the door ajar, and one, lone, yellow feather floats down as the happy cat pats his tummy. Then Red Bull's slogan, "it gives you wings" appears on the screen. So, thanks to Red Bull, this little kitty was able to fly up and catch himself a snack.

To the general population, this ad appears to be nothing more than using the well accepted notion that cats like to hunt birds as an advertising tool. However, this ad has greater significance to those who are well aquainted with classical music. The tune you hear in this commercial is taken from Mozart's opera, "The Magic Flute". In his aria "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja", Papageo sings about his job as a bird catcher and his longing for a wife (you know, normal everyday stuff). So the ad uses the text from the opera to relate to the kitty's bird catching, requiring a cultural understanding of opera that many people who see this commercial do not have.

And here is the aria from the opera, for those who care =)